Anionic Surfactants And Washing And Cleaning Agents Containing Same

ABSTRACT

An anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof, in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, the sum of n and m being less than 22, and X+ represents a charge-balancing cation. The invention also relates to a mixture of the anionic surfactant of general formula (I) and the anionic surfactant of general formula (II), obainable by reacting a mixture of 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholates having secondary and primary alcoholate functions with an electrophilic alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl, or alkenylaryl derivative and the subsequent sulfation with a sulfating agent and optionally neutralization. The invention further relates to a method for producing the surfactant and to the use of the surfactant.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to anionic surfactants which can be prepared based on renewable raw materials and which have low critical micelle concentrations (CMC) and produce low interfacial tensions. The invention also relates to a method for preparing such surfactants as well as to washing or cleaning agents which contain these surfactants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of surfactants to reduce the surface tension of water, to form dispersions, and for solubilization has been well known in the field of washing and cleaning agents for a long time. Although many surfactants are prepared based completely or in part on renewable raw materials, some high-performing and widely-used representatives are still based on petrochemicals. In addition, there is a constant desire to provide surfactants having outstanding practical properties in order to be able to achieve high performance even with low surfactant use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide surfactants which have advantageous practical properties, such as a low CMC and a low surface tension, and can be prepared based on renewable raw materials. In addition, the surfactants should have good skin compatibility and it should also be possible to manufacture them together with other surfactants so that they are particularly suitable for use in washing and cleaning agents.

In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof,

in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, the sum of n and m being less than 22, and X⁺ represents a charge-balancing cation. X⁺ is preferably selected from the group comprising the proton, alkali metal cations and the grouping N⁺R¹R²R³, in which R¹, R² and R³ represent, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 C atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 6 C atoms.

Preferred surfactants of general formula (I) or general formula (II) are those in which R represents hydrogen, n represents a number from 7 to 17, m represents a number from 0 to 9 and/or the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to 18.

Surfactants of general formula (I) can be prepared by sulfating compounds of general formula (III), and surfactants of general formula (II) can be prepared by sulfating compounds of general formula (IV),

in which R, m and n have the meanings specified above, using a sulfating agent, for example chlorosulfonic acid or sulfur trioxide pyridine, and optionally neutralization by subsequent reaction with X⁺OH⁻, X⁺ ₂CO²⁻ ₃, or X⁺ ₂CO²⁻ ₃, where X⁺ has the meaning specified above, it being possible to obtain mixtures of compounds according to general formula (I) and general formula (II) from mixtures of compounds according to general formula (III) and general formula (IV). Compounds of general formulas (III) and (IV) can be obtained by means of Williamson etherification starting from 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol. 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol is, as described in J. Ohyama, Y. Ohira, A. Satsuma, Catal. Sci. Technol. 2017, 7, 2947-2953, obtainable from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is, as described in R J van Putten, J C van der Waal, E. de Jong, C B Rasrendra, H J Heeres, J G de Vries, Chem. Rev. 2013, 113, 1499-1597, obtainable from the conversion of cellulose or hemicellulose; the surfactants essential to the invention are thus based on what are referred to as “non-food biomass.”

The invention further relates to a method for preparing above-defined compounds of general formula (I) or (II) or mixtures thereof by reacting a 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholate with an electrophilic alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl derivative, in particular an alkyl chloride, alkyl bromide, alkyl iodide or alkyl sulfonic acid ester such as p-toluenesulfonic acid ester or methanesulfonic acid ester, and subsequent sulfation with a sulfating agent and optionally neutralization by subsequent reaction with X⁺OH⁻, X⁺ ₂HCO⁻ ₃ or X⁺ ₂CO²⁻ ₃, where X⁺ represents an alkali metal cation or a grouping N⁺R¹R²R³, in which R¹, R² and R³ represent, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 C atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 6 C atoms. Depending on whether the alcoholate function is formed of the secondary or the primary alcohol function of the 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol, the reaction with the electrophilic alkyl derivative produces a compound of general formula (III) or a compound of general formula (IV); if there is a mixture of secondary and primary alcoholate functions, obtained for example by reacting 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol with a molar equivalent of a customary base such as potassium tert-butoxide or sodium hydride, mixtures of a compound of general formula (III) and a compound of general formula (IV) are produced; the sulfation of such mixtures results in mixtures of a compound of general formula (I) and a compound of general formula (II). The invention further relates to mixtures of anionic surfactant of general formula (I) and anionic surfactant of general formula (II) that can be obtained in this way.

The surfactants according to the invention have very low CMC values and result in very low interfacial tensions with respect to oil, with rapid dynamics in terms of organization at the interface. Particularly preferred surfactants according to the invention have a CMC of 0.01 g/L to 0.9 g/L in water at pH 8.5 and 25° C. and produce an interfacial tension, which can be determined with respect to isopropyl myristate by means of the spinning drop method (20-minute equilibration time) at a concentration of 1 g/L in water at pH 8.5 and 25° C., of less than 10 mN/m, in particular in the range of 1 mN/m to 7 mN/m.

The surfactants according to the invention are available, as described, from renewable raw materials such as cellulose and hemicellulose. They also have the advantage that the renewable raw materials from which they can be prepared include those which do not provide a basis for the production of food, so that the food competition situation observed in some surfactants that can be obtained from other renewable raw materials is not present here.

The surfactants according to the invention are preferably prepared by adding a base X⁺O^(t)Bu or X⁺H⁻, where X⁺ represents an alkali metal cation, to 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol, at temperatures of preferably −5° C. to 25° C., in particular 0° C. to 5° C., then adding a haloalkane dropwise and stirring at temperatures of preferably 70° C. to 150° C., in particular 100° C. to 120° C., for a period of preferably 12 hours to 36 hours, in particular 20 hours to 24 hours.

A compound thus obtained or a mixture thus obtained is reacted with a sulfating agent, for example chlorosulfonic acid or sulfur trioxide pyridine, at a temperature in the range of preferably −20° C. to 75° C., in particular of 25° C. to 75° C., and a duration in the range of preferably 1 hour to 24 hours, in particular 6 to 18 hours. Subsequently the charge-balancing cation present after sulfation can be replaced, if desired, by reaction with X⁺OH⁻, for example 1 M methanolic sodium hydroxide solution, or by reaction with X⁺HCO⁻ ₃ or X⁺ ₂CO²⁻ ₃, for example sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium carbonate. The surfactant of general formula (I) or formula (II) or the mixture thereof can be isolated, for example, by precipitation when a suitable precipitant is added, in particular acetone or petroleum ether.

The surfactants according to the invention are highly suitable as an ingredient in washing and cleaning agents, cosmetics such as shampoos and toothpastes, and for other applications in which anionic surfactants are currently conventionally used, such as in the food industry, geosciences, tertiary oil production, plastics technology, metalworking, photography, paper recycling, tool cleaning, and firefighting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Particularly good results are achieved in the use thereof in washing and cleaning agents, and therefore the present invention also relates to the use of the anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or formula (II) or mixtures thereof for the preparation of washing or cleaning agents, to the use of an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof for increasing the performance of washing or cleaning agents when washing laundry or cleaning hard surfaces, and to the washing or cleaning agents containing a surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof.

A washing or cleaning agent according to the invention preferably contains 1 wt. % to 99 wt. %, in particular 3 wt. % to 65 wt. %, and particularly preferably 5 wt.% to 45 wt.%, of the surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof.

In addition to the anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof, the washing or cleaning agent may contain further ingredients which further improve the practical and/or aesthetic properties of the agent. In the context of the present invention, the agent preferably additionally contains one or more substances from the group of non-ionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, builders, bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, electrolytes, pH adjusters, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescing agents, dyes, hydrotropes, suds suppressors, anti-redeposition agents, graying inhibitors, anti-shrink agents, anti-crease agents, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial active ingredients, non-aqueous solvents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bittering agents, ironing aids, repellents and impregnating agents, skin care active ingredients, anti-swelling and anti-slip agents, softening components and UV absorbers.

A washing or cleaning agent according to the invention preferably contains, in addition to the anionic surfactant of the surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof, up to 99 wt. %, in particular 3 wt. % to 65 wt. %, and particularly preferably 5 wt. % to 45 wt. %, of additional surfactant, the additionally present surfactants preferably also being obtainable from renewable raw materials.

The agent according to the invention may contain non-ionic surfactants. Suitable non-ionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, amine oxides, alkyl polyglucosides, and mixtures thereof.

Alkoxylated fatty alcohols that are preferably used are ethoxylated, in particular primary alcohols which have preferably 8 to 18 C atoms and, on average, 4 to 12 mol ethylene oxide (EO) per mol of alcohol, and in which the alcohol functional group is linear. In particular, alcohol ethoxylates having 12 to 18 C atoms, for example from coconut, palm, tallow fatty or oleyl alcohol, and an average of 5 to 8 EO per mol of alcohol are preferred. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C₁₂₋₁₄ alcohols having 4 EO or 7 EO, C₉₋₁₁ alcohols having 7 EO, C₁₂₋₁₈ alcohols having 5 EO or 7 EO, and mixtures thereof. The degrees of ethoxylation specified represent statistical averages that can correspond to an integer or a fractional number for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrowed homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these non-ionic surfactants, fatty alcohols having more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of these are tallow fatty alcohols having 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO, or 40 EO. Non-ionic surfactants that contain EO and PO groups together in the molecule can also be used according to the invention. Furthermore, a mixture of a (more highly) branched ethoxylated fatty alcohol and an unbranched ethoxylated fatty alcohol, such as a mixture of a C₁₆₋₁₈ fatty alcohol having 7 EO and 2-propylheptanol having 7 EO, is also suitable. The amount of non-ionic surfactant is preferably up to 25 wt. %, in particular 1 wt. % to 20 wt. %, the weight percentages here and in the following being based in each case on the total washing agent, if not stated otherwise.

Optionally additional anionic surfactants include alkylbenzene sulfonic acid salts, olefin sulfonic acid salts, C₁₂₋₁₈ alkanesulfonic acid salts, salts of sulfuric acid monoesters with a fatty alcohol, fatty acid soaps, salts of sulfuric acid monoesters with an ethoxylated fatty alcohol, or a mixture of two or more of these anionic surfactants.

Surfactants of the sulfonate type that can be used are preferably C₉₋₁₃ alkylbenzene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, i.e. mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkane sulfonates, and disulfonates, as obtained, for example, from C₁₂₋₁₈ monoolefins having a terminal or internal double bond by way of sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acid hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. C₁₂₋₁₈ alkane sulfonates and the esters of α-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates) are also suitable, for example the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids.

The salts of the sulfuric acid semiesters of C₁₂-C₁₈ fatty alcohols, for example from coconut fatty alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol, or of C₁₀-C₂₀ oxo alcohols and the semiesters of secondary alcohols having these chain lengths are preferred as alk(en)yl sulfates. From a washing perspective, C₁₂-C₁₆-alkyl sulfates, C₁₂-C₁₅-alkyl sulfates and C₁₄-C₁₅-alkyl sulfates are preferred.

Fatty alcohol ether sulfates, such as the sulfuric acid monoesters of straight-chain or branched C₇₋₂₁ alcohols ethoxylated with 1 to 6 mol ethylene oxide, such as 2-methyl-branched C₉₋₁₁ alcohols having, on average, 3.5 mol ethylene oxide (EO) or C₁₂₋₁₈ fatty alcohols having 1 to 4 EO, are also suitable.

Other suitable anionic surfactants are fatty acid soaps. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acid soaps are suitable, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, (hydrogenated) erucic acid and behenic acid, and in particular soap mixtures derived from natural fatty acids, such as coconut, palm kernel, olive oil or tallow fatty acids.

The additional anionic surfactants including the fatty acid soaps can be present in the form of the sodium, potassium or magnesium or ammonium salts thereof. The anionic surfactants are preferably present in the form of the sodium salts or ammonium salts thereof. Amines that can be used for neutralization are preferably choline, triethylamine, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, methylethylamine, or a mixture thereof, monoethanolamine being preferred. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the agent contains, in particular when in liquid form, monoethanolamine-neutralized alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, in particular C₉₋₁₃ alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, and/or monoethanolamine-neutralized fatty acid.

The content of additional anionic surfactant, if any, in the agent according to the invention is preferably up to 30 wt. %, in particular 1 wt. % to 25 wt. %.

An agent according to the invention preferably contains at least one water-soluble and/or water-insoluble, organic and/or inorganic builder. The water-soluble organic builder substances include polycarboxylic acids, in particular citric acid and saccharic acids, monomeric and polymeric aminopolycarboxylic acids, in particular glycinediacetic acid, methylglycinediacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, iminodisuccinates such as ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid and hydroxyiminodisuccinate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and polyaspartic acid, polyphosphonic acids, in particular aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid), ethylenediamine tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid), lysine tetra(methylenephosphonic acid) and 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, polymeric hydroxy compounds such as dextrin, and polymeric (poly)carboxylic acids, polycarboxylates which can be obtained in particular by oxidizing polysaccharides, polymeric acrylic acids, methacrylic acids, maleic acids, and mixed polymers thereof, which may also contain, polymerized in the polymer, small portions of polymerizable substances, without a carboxylic acid functionality. The relative average molecular mass of the homopolymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids is generally between 5,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, that of the copolymers between 2,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, preferably 50,000 g/mol to 120,000 g/mol, in each case based on free acid. A particularly preferred acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer has a relative average molecular mass of 50,000 to 100,000. Compounds of this class which are suitable, although less preferred, are copolymers of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with vinyl ethers, such as vinyl methyl ethers, vinyl esters, ethylene, propylene and styrene, in which the proportion of the acid is at least 50 wt. %. It is also possible to use, as water-soluble organic builder substances, terpolymers which contain two unsaturated acids and/or the salts thereof as monomers and vinyl alcohol and/or a vinyl alcohol derivative or a carbohydrate as the third monomer. The first acid monomer or the salt thereof is derived from a monoethylenically unsaturated C₃-C₈ carboxylic acid and preferably from a C₃-C₄ monocarboxylic acid, in particular from (meth)acrylic acid. The second acid monomer or the salt thereof can be a derivative of a C₄-C₈ dicarboxylic acid, maleic acid being particularly preferred. The third monomeric unit is formed in this case of vinyl alcohol and/or preferably an esterified vinyl alcohol. In particular, vinyl alcohol derivatives are preferred which are an ester of short-chain carboxylic acids, for example C₁-C₄ carboxylic acids, with vinyl alcohol. Preferred polymers contain 60 wt. % to 95 wt. %, in particular 70 wt. % to 90 wt. % (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate, particularly preferably acrylic acid or acrylate, and maleic acid or maleate, and 5 wt. % to 40 wt. %, preferably 10 wt. % to 30 wt. %, vinyl alcohol and/or vinyl acetate. Very particularly preferred are polymers in which the weight ratio of (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate to maleic acid or maleate is between 1:1 and 4:1, preferably between 2:1 and 3:1, and in particular between 2:1 and 2.5:1. Both the amounts and the weight ratios are based on the acids. The second acid monomer or the salt thereof can also be a derivative of an allylsulfonic acid which is substituted in the 2 position with an alkyl functional group, preferably with a C₁-C₄ alkyl functional group, or an aromatic functional group which is preferably derived from benzene or benzene derivatives. Preferred terpolymers contain 40 wt.% to 60 wt.%, in particular 45 to 55 wt. %, (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate, particularly preferably acrylic acid or acrylate, 10 wt. % to 30 wt. %, preferably 15 wt. % to 25 wt. %, methallylsulfonic acid or methallylsulfonate, and 15 wt. % to 40 wt. %, preferably 20 wt. % to 40 wt. %, of a carbohydrate as the third monomer. This carbohydrate may be, for example, a mono-, di-, oligo- or polysaccharide, mono-, di- or oligosaccharides being preferred. Sucrose is particularly preferred. The use of the third monomer presumably incorporates predetermined breaking points into the polymer which are responsible for the good biodegradability of the polymer. These terpolymers generally have a relative average molecular mass between 1,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, preferably between 200 g/mol and 50,000 g/mol. Further preferred copolymers are those which have acrolein and acrylic acid/acrylic acid salts or vinyl acetate as monomers. The organic builder substances may, in particular for the preparation of liquid agents, be used in the form of aqueous solutions, preferably in the form of 30 to 50 wt. % aqueous solutions. All mentioned acids are generally used in the form of the water-soluble salts thereof, in particular alkali salts thereof.

Organic builder substances of this kind can, if desired, be contained in amounts of up to 40 wt. %, in particular up to 25 wt. %, and preferably of 1 wt. % to 8 wt.%. Amounts in the upper half of the stated ranges are preferably used in pasty or liquid, in particular water-containing, agents.

In particular polyphosphates, preferably sodium triphosphate, are suitable as water-soluble inorganic builder materials. In particular crystalline or amorphous, water-dispersible alkali aluminosilicates are used as water-insoluble inorganic builder materials in amounts not exceeding 25 wt. %, preferably of 3 wt. % to 20 wt. %, and in particular in amounts of 5 wt. % to 15 wt. %. Of these, the crystalline sodium aluminosilicates of washing agent quality, particularly zeolite A, zeolite P, and zeolite MAP, and optionally zeolite X, are preferred. Amounts close to the stated upper limit are preferably used in solid particulate agents. Suitable aluminosilicates have in particular no particles having a particle size greater than 30 μm and preferably consist at least 80 wt. % of particles having a size smaller than 10 μm. The calcium binding capacity of said aluminosilicates is generally in the range of 100 to 200 mg CaO per gram.

In addition or as an alternative to said water-insoluble aluminosilicate and alkali carbonate, further water-soluble inorganic builder materials may be contained. These include, in addition to the polyphosphates such as sodium triphosphate, in particular the water-soluble crystalline and/or amorphous alkali silicate builders. Water-soluble inorganic builder materials of this kind are contained in the agents preferably in amounts of 1 wt. % to 20 wt. %, in particular of 5 wt. % to 15 wt. %. The alkali silicates that are suitable as builder materials preferably have a molar ratio of alkali oxide to SiO₂ of less than 0.95, in particular of 1:1.1 to 1:12, and may be present in amorphous or crystalline form. Preferred alkali silicates are sodium silicates, in particular amorphous sodium silicates, having a Na₂O: SiO₂ molar ratio of 1:2 to 1:2.8. Crystalline phyllosilicates of general formula Na₂Si_(x)O_(2x−1)·y H₂O, in which x, referred to as the module, is a number from 1.9 to 4, y is a number from 0 to 20, and preferred values for x are 2, 3 or 4, are preferably used as crystalline silicates, which may be present alone or in a mixture with amorphous silicates. Preferred crystalline phyllosilicates are those in which x in the stated general formula assumes the values 2 or 3. Both β- and δ-sodium disilicates (Na₂Si₂O₅·y H₂O) are particularly preferred. Practically water-free crystalline alkali silicates which have the above general formula, in which x is a number from 1.9 to 2.1, and which are prepared from amorphous alkali silicates may also be used in the agents. In a further preferred embodiment, a crystalline sodium phyllosilicate having a module of 2 to 3, as can be prepared from sand and soda, is used. Sodium silicates having a module in the range of 1.9 to 3.5 are used in a further embodiment. In a preferred embodiment of such agents, a granular compound of alkali silicate and alkali carbonate is used, as is commercially available, for example, under the name Nabion® 15.

Suitable peroxidic bleaching agents may be in particular organic peracids or peracid salts of organic acids, such as phthalimidopercaproic acid, perbenzoic acid, monoperoxyphthalic acid, and diperdodecane diacid and salts thereof, such as magnesium monoperoxyphthalate, diacyl peroxides, hydrogen peroxide and inorganic salts which release hydrogen peroxide under the conditions of use, such as alkali perborate, alkali percarbonate and/or alkali persilicate, and hydrogen peroxide inclusion compounds, such as H₂O₂ urea adducts, and mixtures thereof. Hydrogen peroxide can also be produced by means of an enzymatic system, i.e. an oxidase and the substrate thereof. If solid peroxygen compounds are intended to be used, these may be used in the form of powders or granules, which may also be coated in a manner known in principle. Particularly preferably, alkali percarbonate, alkali perborate monohydrate or hydrogen peroxide is used. A washing agent which can be used in the context of the invention contains peroxidic bleaching agent in amounts of preferably up to 60 wt. %, in particular of 5 wt. % to 50 wt. %, and particularly preferably of 15 wt. % to 30 wt. % or, alternatively, of 2.5 wt. % to 20 wt. %, hydrogen peroxide being the most preferred peroxidic bleaching agent in liquid agents and sodium percarbonate being most preferred in solid agents. Peroxidic bleaching agent particles preferably have a particle size in the range of 10 μm to 5,000 μm, in particular of 50 μm to 1,000 μm, and/or a density of 0.85 g/cm³ to 4.9 g/cm³, in particular of 0.91 g/cm³ to 2.7 g/cm³.

In particular, compounds which produce, under perhydrolysis conditions, optionally substituted perbenzoic acid and/or aliphatic peroxycarboxylic acids having 1 to 12 C atoms, in particular 2 to 4 C atoms, alone or in mixtures, are used as a bleach-activating compound that produces peroxycarboxylic acid under perhydrolysis conditions. Bleach activators that have O- and/or N-acyl groups in particular of the stated number of C atoms and/or optionally substituted benzoyl groups are suitable. Preferred are polyacylated alkylenediamines, in particular tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), acylated glycolurils, in particular tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), acylated triazine derivatives, in particular 1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DADHT), N-acylimides, in particular N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenol sulfonates or carboxylates or the sulfonic or carboxylic acids thereof, in particular nonanoyl or isononanoyl or lauroyl oxybenzene sulfonate (NOBS or iso-NOBS or LOBS) or decanoyloxybenzoate (DOBA), the formal carbonic acid ester derivatives thereof such as 4-(2-decanoyloxyethoxycarbonyloxy)benzene sulfonate (DECOBS), acylated polyhydric alcohols, in particular triacetin, ethylene glycol diacetate and 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrodrofuran and acetylated sorbitol and mannitol and mixtures thereof (SORMAN), acylated sugar derivatives, in particular pentaacetylglucose (PAG), pentaacetylfructose, tetraacetylxylose and octaacetyl lactose, acetylated, optionally N-alkylated glucamine and gluconolactone, and/or N-acylated lactams, for example N-benzoyl-caprolactam.

In addition to, or instead of, compounds which form peroxycarboxylic acids under perhydrolysis conditions, other bleach activating compounds, such as nitriles, from which perimidic acids may form under perhydrolysis conditions, may be present. These include in particular aminoacetonitrile derivatives having a quaternized nitrogen atom according to the formula

in which R¹ represents —H, —CH₃, a C₂₋₂₄ alkyl functional group or C₂₋₂₄ alkenyl functional group, a substituted C₁₋₂₄ alkyl functional group or C₂₋₂₄ alkenyl functional group having at least one substituent from the group —Cl, —Br, —OH, —NH₂, —CN and —N^((+)—CH) ₂—CN, an alkyl- or alkenylaryl functional group having a Ci-24 alkyl group, or a substituted alkyl- or alkenylaryl functional group having at least one, preferably two, optionally substituted C₁₋₂₄ alkyl group(s) and optionally further substituents on the aromatic ring, R² and R³ are selected, independently of one another, from —CH₂—CN, —CH₃, —CH₂—CH₃, CH₂—CH₂—CH₃, —CH(CH₃)—CH₃, —CH₂—OH, —CH₂—CH₂—OH, —CH(OH)—CH₃, —CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—OH, —CH₂—CH(OH)—CH₃, —CH(OH)—CH₂—CH₃, —(CH₂CH₂—O)_(n)H, where n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, R⁴ and R⁵ have, independently of one another, the meaning specified above for R¹, R² or R³, where at least 2 of the functional groups mentioned, in particular R² and R³, also including the nitrogen atom and optionally other heteroatoms, can be linked to one another in a ring-closing manner and then preferably form a morpholino ring, and X is a charge-balancing anion, preferably selected from benzene sulfonate, toluene sulfonate, cumene sulfonate, the C₉₋₁₅ alkylbenzene sulfonates, the C₁₋₂₀ alkyl sulfates, the C₈₋₂₂ carboxylic acid methyl ester sulfonates, sulfate, hydrogen sulfate, and mixtures thereof, may be used. Bleach activators forming peroxycarboxylic acids or perimidic acids under perhydrolysis conditions are preferably present in agents according to the invention in amounts of up to 25 wt. %, in particular 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. %. Bleach activator particles preferably have a particle size in the range of 10 μm to 5,000 μm, in particular of 50 μm to 1,000 μm, and/or a density of 0.85 g/cm³ to 4.9 g/cm³, in particular of 0.91 g/cm³ to 2.7 g/cm³.

The presence of bleach-catalyzing transition metal complexes, in addition to or instead of said bleach activators, is possible. These are preferably selected from the cobalt, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, manganese and ruthenium complexes. Suitable ligands in such transition metal complexes are both inorganic and organic compounds, which include, in addition to carboxylates, in particular compounds having primary, secondary and/or tertiary amine and/or alcohol functions, such as pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, 2,2′-bispyridylamine, tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1,5,9-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododecane, (bis-((1-methylimidazol-2-yl)-methyl))-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, N,N′-(bis-(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)-methyl)ethylenediamine, N-bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)aminoethanol, 2,6-bis-(bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol, N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)-2-hydroxy-1,3 -diaminopropane, 2,6-bis-(bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol, 1,3 -bis-(bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)aminomethyl)benzene, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, adonitol, inositol, lactose, and optionally substituted salens, porphins and porphyrins. The inorganic neutral ligands include in particular ammonia and water. If not all coordination sites of the transition metal central atom are occupied by neutral ligands, the complex contains further, preferably anionic, ligands, of these in particular mono- or bidentate ligands. These include in particular the halides such as fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide, and the (NO₂)⁻ group, i.e. a nitro ligand or a nitrito ligand. The (NO₂)⁻ group may also be chelated to a transition metal or it may asymmetrically bridge or μl-O-bridge two transition metal atoms. In addition to the ligands mentioned, the transition metal complexes may carry further, generally more simple ligands, in particular mono- or polyvalent anion ligands. For example, nitrate, acetate, trifluoroacetate, formate, carbonate, citrate, oxalate, perchlorate, and complex anions such as hexafluorophosphate are suitable. The anion ligands are intended to ensure charge balance between the transition metal central atom and the ligand system. The presence of oxo ligands, peroxo ligands and imino ligands is also possible. In particular, such ligands can also have a bridging effect, such that polynuclear complexes are produced. In the case of bridged, binuclear complexes, the two metal atoms in the complex do not need to be the same. The use of binuclear complexes in which the two transition metal central atoms have different oxidation numbers is also possible. If anion ligands are missing or the presence of anionic ligands does not result in charge balance in the complex, anionic counterions which neutralize the cationic transition metal complex are present in the transition metal complex compounds to be used according to the invention. These anionic counterions include in particular nitrate, hydroxide, hexafluorophosphate, sulfate, chlorate, perchlorate, the halides such as chloride or the anions of carboxylic acids such as formate, acetate, oxalate, benzoate or citrate. Examples of transition metal complex compounds that can be used are [N,N′-bis[(2-hydroxy-5-vinylphenyl)methylene]-1,2-diaminocyclohexane]manganese-(III)-chloride, [N,N′-bis [(2-hydroxy-5 -nitrophenyl)methylene]-1,2-diaminocyclohexane]manganese-(III)-acetate, [N,N′-bi s[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylene] -1,2-phenylendiamine]manganese-(III)-acetate, [N,N′-bi s[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylene]-1,2-di aminocyclohexane]manganese-(III)-chloride, [N,N′-bis[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylene] -1,2-diaminoethane]manganese-(III)-chloride, [N,N′-bis[(2-hydroxy-5 -sulfonatophenyl)methylene]-1,2-diaminoethane]manganese-(III)-chloride, manganese oxalato complexes, nitropentamminecobalt(III)chloride, nitritopentamminecobalt(III)chloride, hexamminecobalt(III)chloride, chloropentamminecobalt(III)chloride and peroxo complex [(NH₃)₅Co—O—O—Co(NH₃)₅]Cl₄.

Enzymes from the class of proteases, amylases, lipases, cutinases, pullulanases, hemicellulases, cellulases, oxidases, laccases and peroxidases, and mixtures thereof are suitable as enzymes that can be used in the agents. Enzymatic active ingredients obtained from fungi or bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus lentus, Streptomyces griseus, Humicola lanuginosa, Humicola insolens, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas cepacia, or Coprinus cinereus are particularly suitable. The enzymes can be adsorbed on carrier substances and/or embedded in coating substances to protect the enzymes from premature inactivation. They are contained in the washing or cleaning agents according to the invention preferably in amounts of up to 5 wt. %, in particular of 0.002 wt. % to 4 wt. %. If the agent according to the invention contains protease, it preferably has a proteolytic activity in the range of approximately 100 PE/g to approximately 10,000 PE/g, in particular 300 PE/g to 8,000 PE/g. If a plurality of enzymes is to be used in the agent according to the invention, this can be carried out by incorporation of the two or more separate enzymes or enzymes that have been separately manufactured in a known manner, or by two or more enzymes manufactured together in a granulate.

In order to set a desired pH that does not result automatically from mixing the other components, the agents according to the invention can contain acids that are compatible with the system and environment, in particular citric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, and/or adipic acid, but also mineral acids, in particular sulfuric acid, or bases, in particular ammonium or alkali hydroxides. pH regulators of this kind are contained in the agents according to the invention preferably in amounts of no greater than 20 wt. %, in particular of 1.2 wt. % to 17 wt. %.

The function of graying inhibitors is to keep the dirt that is removed from the textile fibers suspended in the liquor. Water-soluble colloids, which are usually organic, are suitable for this purpose, for example starch, sizing material, gelatin, salts of ethercarboxylic acids or ethersulfonic acids of starch or of cellulose, or salts of acidic sulfuric acid esters of cellulose or of starch. Water-soluble polyamides containing acid groups are also suitable for this purpose. Starch derivatives other than those mentioned above may also be used, for example aldehyde starches. Cellulose ethers, such as carboxymethylcellulose (Na salt), methylcellulose, hydroxyalkylcellulose, and mixed ethers, such as methylhydroxyethyl cellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, methylcarboxymethylcellulose and mixtures thereof, are used, for example, in amounts of 0.1 to 5 wt. %, based on the agents.

If desired, the agents may contain a conventional dye transfer inhibitor, preferably in amounts of up to 2 wt. %, in particular 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. %, which, in a preferred embodiment, is selected from the polymers of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylimidazole, vinylpyridine-N-oxide, or the copolymers thereof. Both polyvinylpyrrolidones having molecular weights of 15,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol and polyvinylpyrrolidones having higher molecular weights of, for example, up to more than 1,000,000 g/mol, in particular of 1,500,000 g/mol to 4,000,000 g/mol, N-vinylimidazole-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers, polyvinyloxazolidones, copolymers based on vinyl monomers and carboxylic acid amides, pyrrolidone-group-containing polyesters and polyamides, grafted polyamidoamines and polyethyleneimines, polyamine-N-oxide polymers and polyvinyl alcohols are suitable. However, it is also possible to use enzymatic systems comprising a peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide or a substance which produces hydrogen peroxide in water. The addition of a mediator compound for the peroxidase, for example an acetosyringone, a phenol derivative or a phenotiazine or phenoxazine, is preferred in this case, it also being possible to additionally use above-mentioned polymeric dye transfer inhibitor active ingredients. Polyvinylpyrrolidone preferably has an average molar mass in the range of 10,000 g/mol to 60,000 g/mol, in particular in the range of 25,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol. Of the copolymers, those consisting of vinylpyrrolidone and vinylimidazole in a mol ratio of 5:1 to 1:1 with an average molar mass in the range of 5,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol, in particular 10,000 g/mol to 20,000 g/mol, are preferred. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the washing agents are free of additional dye transfer inhibitors of this kind, however.

Washing agents may contain, for example, derivatives of diaminostilbene disulfonic acid or the alkali metal salts thereof as optical brighteners, although they are preferably free of optical brighteners when used as color washing agents. Salts of 4,4′-bis(2-anilino-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazinyl-6-amino)stilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid or compounds having a similar structure which, instead of the morpholino group, have a diethanolamino group, a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group are suitable, for example. Furthermore, brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may be present, for example the alkali salts of 4,4′-bis(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl, 4,4′-bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)diphenyl, or 4-(4-chlorostyryl)-4′-(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl. Mixtures of the aforementioned optical brighteners may also be used.

It may be advantageous to add conventional suds suppressors to the agents, in particular in use in mechanical processes. Soaps of natural or synthetic origin having a high proportion of C₁₈-C₂₄ fatty acids are suitable as suds suppressors, for example. Suitable non-surfactant suds suppressors are, for example, organopolysiloxanes and mixtures thereof with microfine, optionally silanated silicic acid and paraffins, waxes, microcrystalline waxes, and mixtures thereof with silanated silicic acid or bis-fatty acid alkylenediamides. Mixtures of various suds suppressors are also advantageously used, for example those consisting of silicones, paraffins, or waxes. The suds suppressors, in particular silicone- and/or paraffin-containing suds suppressors, are preferably bound to a granular carrier substance that is soluble or dispersible in water. Mixtures of paraffins and bistearylethylenediamide are particularly preferred.

In a preferred embodiment, the agent according to the invention is particulate and contains, in addition to the surfactant that is essential to the invention, builders, in particular in an amount in the range of 1 wt. % to 60 wt. %.

In a further preferred embodiment, an agent according to the invention is liquid and contains 1 wt. % to 90 wt. %, in particular 10 wt. % to 85 wt. %, preferably 25 wt. % to 75 wt. %, and particularly preferably 35 wt. % to 65 wt. %, water, water-miscible solvent, or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent. Water-miscible solvents include, for example, monohydric alcohols having 1 to 4 C atoms, in particular methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and tert-butanol, diols and triols having 2 to 4 C atoms, in particular ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerol, and mixtures thereof, and the ethers that can be derived from the classes of compounds mentioned. Water-miscible solvents of this kind are present in the agents according to the invention preferably in amounts of no greater than 30 wt. %, in particular of 2 wt. % to 20 wt. %.

In a further preferred embodiment, the agent according to the invention is portioned ready for individual dosing in a chamber made of water-soluble material; the agent contains preferably less than 15 wt. %, in particular in the range of 1 wt. % to 12 wt. %, water. A portion is an independent dosing unit having at least one chamber in which the product to be dosed is contained. A chamber is a space delimited by walls (e.g. by a film), which space can also exist without the product to be dosed (optionally by changing its shape). A surface coating or a layer of a surface coating is therefore not a wall according to the present invention.

The walls of the chamber are made of a water-soluble material. The water solubility of the material can be determined by means of a square film of said material (film: 22×22 mm with a thickness of 76 μm) fixed in a square frame (edge length on the inside: 20 mm) according to the following measurement protocol. Said framed film is submerged into 800 mL of distilled water, temperature-controlled to 20° C., in a 1-liter beaker with a circular base (Schott, Mainz, beaker glass 1,000 mL, low form), so that the surface of the tensioned film is arranged at a right angle to the base of the beaker, the upper edge of the frame is 1 cm below the water surface, and the lower edge of the frame is oriented in parallel with the base of the beaker such that the lower edge of the frame extends along the radius of the base of the beaker and the center of the lower edge of the frame is arranged above the center of the radius of the beaker bottom. The material dissolves within 600 seconds when stirred (stirring speed magnet stirrer 300 rpm, stirring rod: 5 cm long), such that no solid particles at all can be seen with the naked eye.

The walls of the chambers and therefore the water-soluble wrappings of the washing agents according to the invention are preferably formed by a water-soluble film material. Water-soluble packages of this kind can be produced either by means of methods of vertical form fill sealing or by means of thermoforming methods.

The thermoforming method generally includes forming a first layer from a water-soluble film material in order to produce bulges for receiving a composition, pouring the composition into the bulges, covering the bulges filled with the composition with a second layer made of a water-soluble film material, and sealing the first and second layers to one another at least around the bulges.

The water-soluble film material is preferably selected from polymers or polymer mixtures. The wrapping may be made up of one or of two or more layers of water-soluble film material. The water-soluble film materials of the first layer and of the additional layers, if present, may be the same or different.

It is preferable for the water-soluble wrapping to contain polyvinyl alcohol or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer; particularly preferably, it consists of polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl alcohol copolymer.

Water-soluble films for producing the water-soluble wrapping are preferably based on a polyvinyl alcohol or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer of which the molecular weight is in the range of 10,000 to 1,000,000 gmol⁻¹, preferably of 20,000 to 500,000 gmol⁻¹, particularly preferably of 30,000 to 100,000 gmol⁻¹, and in particular of 40,000 to 80,000 gmol⁻¹.

Polyvinyl alcohol is usually prepared by hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate since the direct synthesis route is not possible. The same applies to polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, which are prepared accordingly from polyvinyl acetate copolymers. It is preferable for at least one layer of the water-soluble wrapping to include a polyvinyl alcohol of which the degree of hydrolysis is 70 to 100 mol. %, preferably 80 to 90 mol. %, particularly preferably 81 to 89 mol. %, and in particular 82 to 88 mol. %.

Polymers selected from the group comprising acrylic acid-containing polymers, polyacrylamides, oxazoline polymers, polystyrene sulfonates, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polylactic acid, and/or mixtures of the above polymers may additionally be added to a film material suitable for producing the water-soluble wrapping. It is also possible to copolymerize such monomers on which the polymers are based, individually or in mixtures of two or more, with vinyl acetate.

Polyvinyl alcohol copolymers which include, in addition to vinyl alcohol, an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, or the salt or ester thereof, are preferred. Polyvinyl alcohol copolymers of this kind particularly preferably contain acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid ester, methacrylic acid ester or mixtures thereof, in addition to vinyl alcohol; of the esters, C₁₋₄ alkyl esters or C₁₋₄ hydroxyalkyl esters are preferred. Polyvinyl alcohol copolymers which include, in addition to vinyl alcohol, ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids as further monomers are also preferred. Suitable dicarboxylic acids are, for example, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, and mixtures thereof, itaconic acid being particularly preferred.

Suitable water-soluble films for use in the wrappings of the water-soluble packaging according to the invention are films which are sold by MonoSol LLC, for example under the names M8630, C8400 or M8900. Other suitable films include films named Solublon® PT, Solublon® GA, Solublon® KC or Solublon® KL from Aicello Chemical Europe GmbH, or the VF-HP films from Kuraray.

The washing or cleaning agent portion comprising the washing or cleaning agent and the water-soluble wrapping may have one or more chambers. The water-soluble wrappings having a chamber can have a substantially dimensionally stable spherical, rotationally ellipsoidal, cubic, cuboidal or pillow-shaped design with a circular, elliptical, square or rectangular basic shape. The agent may be contained in one or more chambers, if present, of the water-soluble wrapping.

In a preferred embodiment, the water-soluble wrapping has two chambers. In this embodiment, the two chambers may each contain a solid partial composition or a liquid partial composition, or the first chamber contains a liquid partial composition and the second chamber a solid partial composition.

The proportions of the agents contained in the different chambers of a water-soluble wrapping having two or more chambers may have the same composition. Preferably, however, the agents in a water-soluble wrapping having at least two chambers have partial compositions which differ by at least one ingredient and/or by the content of at least one ingredient. Preferably, a partial composition of such agents according to the invention comprises an enzyme and/or a bleach activator and a separate further partial composition comprises peroxidic bleaching agent, the first partial composition thus in particular not comprising peroxidic bleaching agent and the second partial composition in particular not comprising an enzyme or a bleach activator.

Packaging in portions in a water-soluble wrapping allows the user, for one application, to put one or, if desired, more, preferably one, of the portions into the washing machine or dishwasher, in particular into the dispensing chamber of a washing machine, or into a container for carrying out a manual washing or cleaning method. Portion packs of this kind fulfil the consumer's desire for simplified dosage. After the addition of water, the wrapping material dissolves such that the ingredients can be released and take effect in the liquor. Preferably, a water-soluble coated portion weighs 10 g to 35 g, in particular 12 g to 28 g, and particularly preferably 12 g to 15 g, where 0.3 g to 2.5 g, in particular 0.7 g to 1.2 g, of the content of the water-soluble wrapping contained in the weight is omitted.

The preparation of solid agents according to the invention presents no difficulties and can be carried out in a known manner, for example by spray-drying or granulation, enzymes and possibly other thermally sensitive ingredients such as bleaching agents optionally being added separately later. For the preparation of agents having an increased bulk density, in particular in the range of 650 g/L to 950 g/L, a method having an extrusion step is preferred.

Liquid or pasty agents according to the invention in the form of solutions typically containing water solvents are usually prepared by simple mixing of the ingredients, which can be put into an automatic mixer in bulk or as a solution.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Preparing a 70:30 mixture of surfactants where n=8

Sodium hydride (0.88 g, 36 mmol, 1.5 eq) was added to a solution of 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol (2.85 g, 25 mmol, 1 eq) in DMF (100 mL) with stirring and ice-cooling. After the evolution of gas had subsided, 1-bromodecane (10.86 g, 50 mmol, 2 eq) was added dropwise and the mixture was stirred at 100° C. for 24 hours. The reaction mixture was then extracted with diethyl ether and water. The organic phase was dried with sodium sulfate and, after removal of the solvent, distilled in a high vacuum. The product phase was further purified by column chromatography. Mixtures of petroleum ether and diethyl ether were used as the mobile phase, the polarity being increased gradually. The mixture of ethers corresponding to general formulas (III) and (IV) was obtained as a slightly yellowish oil.

Yield 23%

1_(H)-H-NMR (400 MHz, MeOD): δ (ppm)=0.84 (t, 3H, H₁₆), 1.22-2.77 (m, 23H,_(H2−5,8-15)), 3.36-4.30 (m, 5H, H_(1,6,7)). 13_(C)-NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ (ppm)=14.17 (s, 1C, C₁₆), 22.75 (s, 1C, C₁₅), 26.12(s, 1C, C₉), 26.21 (s, 1C, C₃), 29.65 (m, 5C, C_(8,10-13)), 31.97 (s, 1C, C₁₄), 36.34 (s, 1C,C₂), 37.28 (s, 1C, C₄), 39.13 (s, 1C, C₅), 71.54 (s, 1C, C₇), 73.32 (s, 1C, C₁₄), 74.63 (s, 1C, C₆).

SO₃Py (2.84 g, 18 mmol, 1.5 eq) was added to a solution of the ether mixture thus obtained (3.18 g, 12 mmol, 1 eq) in acetonitrile (120 mL) and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. After adding water (0.5 mL), the solvent was replaced by ethanol and Na₂CO₃ (2.52 g, 24 mmol, 2 eq) was added. The mixture was stirred for an additional night at room temperature. The solid was then separated off by means of a filter and the filter cake was washed several times with hot ethanol. The 70:30 mixture of surfactants was obtained from the filtrate as a white solid after removal of the solvent.

Yield: 100%

1_(H)-NMR (400 MHz, MeOD): δ (ppm)=0.94 (t, 3H, H₁₆), 1.34-2.21 (m, 23H, H_(2-5,8-15)), 3.41-3.96 (m, 4H, H_(6,7)) 4.84 (m, 1H, H₁). 13_(C)-NMR (100 MHz, MeOD): δ (ppm)=14.42 (s, 1C, C₁₆), 23.71 (s, 1C, C₁₅), 27.25 (s, 1C, C₉), 28.18 (s, 1C, C₃), 30.73 (m, 5C, C_(8,10-13)), 33.04 (s, 1C, C₁₄), 33.76 (s, 1C, C₂), 37.46 (s, 1C, C₅), 38.99 (s, 1C, C4), 72.12 (s, C, C₇), 76.73 (s, 1C, C₆), 81.97 (s, 1C, C₁).

Example 2

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactant mixture from example 1 was determined by measuring the surface tension of its aqueous solution as a function of concentration at 25° C. and a pH of 8.5 to 0.77 g/L. The interfacial tension of an aqueous solution of the surfactant mixture (concentration 1 g/L) with respect to isopropyl myristate at pH 8.5 and 25° C. was measured using the spinning drop method. After 20 minutes, a value of 6 mN/m was produced. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof,

in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, wherein the sum of n and m is less than 22, and X⁺ represents a charge-balancing cation.
 2. A mixture of anionic surfactant of general formula (I) and anionic surfactant of general formula (II),

in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, wherein the sum of n and m is less than 22, and X⁺ represents a charge-balancing cation, obtainable by reacting a mixture of 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholates having secondary and primary alcoholate functions with an electrophilic alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl derivative and subsequent sulfation with a sulfating agent and optionally neutralization.
 3. A method for preparing an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof,

in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, wherein the sum of n and m is less than 22, and X⁺ represents a charge-balancing cation in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, wherein the sum of n and m is less than 22, and X+ represents a charge-balancing cation, by reacting a 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholate with an electrophilic alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl derivative, and subsequent sulfation with a sulfating agent and optionally neutralization by subsequent reaction with X⁺OH⁻, X⁺HCO⁻ ₃ or X⁺ ₂CO²⁻ ₃, wherein X⁺ represents an alkali metal cation or a grouping N⁺R¹R²R³, in which R¹, R² and R³ represent, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 C atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 6 C atoms.
 4. A washing or cleaning agent containing an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof,

in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, wherein the sum of n and m is less than 22, and X⁺ represents a charge-balancing cation.
 5. The agent according to claim 4, wherein it contains 1 wt. % to 99 wt. % of the surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof
 6. The agent according to claim 4, wherein it additionally contains up to 99 wt. % of additional surfactant.
 7. The agent according to claim 4, wherein it is particulate and contains builders, or in that it is liquid and contains 1 wt. % to 90 wt. % water-miscible solvent or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent.
 8. The agent according to claim 4, wherein it is portioned, so as to be ready for individual dosing, in a chamber formed of water-soluble material, and contains less than 15 wt. % water.
 9. The anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof, according to claim 1, wherein there is an increase in the performance of washing or cleaning agents when washing laundry or cleaning hard surfaces.
 10. The surfactant according to claim 1 wherein, in the compound of general formula (I) and the compound of general formula (II), R represents hydrogen, n represents a number from 7 to 17, m represents a number from 0 to 9 and/or the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to
 18. 11. The method for preparing an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof, according to claim 3, wherein X+ represents a charge-balancing cation, by reacting a 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholate with an alkyl chloride, alkyl bromide, alkyl iodide or alkyl sulfonic acid ester.
 12. The method for preparing an anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or a mixture thereof, according to claim 11, wherein X+ represents a charge-balancing cation, by reacting a 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholate with a p-toluenesulfonic acid or methanesulfonic acid ester.
 13. The agent according to claim 5, wherein it contains 3 wt. % to 65 wt. % of the surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof.
 14. The agent according to claim 6, wherein it additionally contains 3 wt. % to 65 wt. % of additional surfactant.
 15. The agent according to claim 7, wherein it is particulate and contains builders in an amount in the range of 1 wt. % to 60 wt. %, or in that it is liquid and contains 10 wt. % to 85 wt. % water, water-miscible solvent or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent.
 16. The agent according to claim 8, wherein it is portioned, so as to be ready for individual dosing, in a chamber formed of water-soluble material, and contains water in the range of 1 wt. % to 12 wt. %.
 17. The method according to claim 2, wherein, in the compound of general formula (I) and the compound of general formula (II), R represents hydrogen, n represents a number from 7 to 17, m represents a number from 0 to 9 and/or the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to
 18. 18. The agent according to claim 4, wherein, in the compound of general formula (I) and the compound of general formula (II), R represents hydrogen, n represents a number from 7 to 17, m represents a number from 0 to 9 and/or the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to
 18. 19. The anionic surfactant according to claim 9, wherein, in the compound of general formula (I) and the compound of general formula (II), R represents hydrogen, n represents a number from 7 to 17, m represents a number from 0 to 9 and/or the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to
 18. 